JPH07131740A - Head-mounted type video display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the adjustment operability and to reduce number of components by allowing an eye width/diopter operation section to use an eye width adjustment operation section and a diopter adjustment operation section in common. CONSTITUTION:A viewer at first mounts head-mounted video display device to his head and an external video image is led to an LCD 32 lighted by a back light 31 in an optical system frame 4 and projected onto an eye ball via a half mirror and a convex mirror as a projection optical system. Then a left/right adjustment knob 2 is moved in the eye width direction to adjust the eye width and positioned, After the eye width adjustment is finished, the left/right adjustment knob 2 is turned respectively clockwise or counter clockwise. An LCD frame 9 supporting the back light and the LCD is guided by a guide shaft 10 through the turning operation to be risen or descended. Then the adjustment knob 2 is pressed into contact with an upper face of a main body frame 1 after the adjustment end to engage a claw and a groove thereby keeping the positioning fixing state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a head-mounted image display apparatus for projecting an image on an eyeball of an observer to observe the image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when observing an image using a head-mounted image display device, an appropriate eye width and an appropriate diopter are different depending on the observer. Adjustment and diopter adjustment are required.

As a mechanism for performing the interpupillary adjustment and the diopter adjustment, for example, a binocular adjustment mechanism as shown in FIG. 7 may be diverted. That is, in binoculars,
Screw-type diopter adjustment mechanism 50L,
50R is provided to adjust the diopter of the left and right eyeballs by screwing or loosening the screw part, and separately, a hinge type interpupillary adjustment mechanism 51 is provided at the center of the connecting part of the left and right tubular parts to connect the connecting part. The eye width is adjusted by bending. However, this adjusting mechanism is unsuitable for a head-mounted image display device that uses an image display element such as an LCD because the adjustment method using a mechanism that bends the connecting portion in the center causes the image to rotate, and the number of parts is large. However, it is difficult to apply it to a head-mounted image display device.

Therefore, an image display device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 26288/1992 is proposed as an adjusting mechanism in the head-mounted image display device. That is, as shown in FIG. 8A corresponding to FIG. 4C of the above publication,
In order to connect the left and right eyepieces 52L and 52R, one ends of the left and right arms 53L and 53R that are parallel to each other are coupled to the side surfaces of the left and right eyepieces 52L and 52R, respectively.
Gears 54L and 54R are formed at the other ends of L and 53R, respectively, and the gears 5 mesh with the screw portions 54L and 54R at the same time.
5 is provided at the overlapping portion of both arms, and further, a gear 56 that meshes with the gear 55 and a dial 57 that is formed on the same plane so as to mesh with the gear 56 (not shown) are formed at the bottom. ing. In this interpupillary adjustment mechanism, when the dial 57 is rotated clockwise, the intervals in the interpupillary direction (X direction in the drawing) are widened by the gears and the screw portions, and when the dial 57 is rotated counterclockwise, the intervals are narrowed, so that the interpupillary adjustment is performed. Is possible.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8B corresponding to FIG. 1C of the above publication, a diopter adjusting lens 61 is provided on an optical path 60 extending from the liquid crystal display 58 to the optical path frame 59.
And a moving mechanism 62 for moving the lens 61 in the optical path direction are included in the diopter adjustment mechanism. Therefore, by moving the lens 61 on the optical path 60, it is possible to adjust the diopter of each of the left and right eyes. ing.

[0006]

However, in the conventional example described in the above publication, since the interpupillary distance adjusting mechanism and the diopter adjusting mechanism are independently installed, the cost and weight increase due to the increase in the number of parts. In addition, since the interpupillary adjustment mechanism and the diopter adjustment mechanism are arranged apart from each other, the observer must not feel for each adjustment mechanism when wearing the head-mounted image display device and perform the adjustment operation. It has to be operated easily.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to improve the operability of adjustment and reduce the number of parts by collecting the interpupillary adjustment mechanism and the diopter adjustment mechanism in the same place. An object is to provide a head-mounted image display device.

[0008]

To this end, the present invention provides an image display means for displaying an image and an image displayed on the image display means as a left eye image in the left eyeball of an observer. A projection optical system for the left eye, a projection optical system for the right eye for projecting the image displayed on the image display means as a right eye image in the right eyeball of the observer, the projection optical system for the left eye and the right eye Eye width adjusting means for adjusting the interval between the left and right exit pupils by moving each exit pupil formed by the projection optical system in the eye width direction, and diopter for adjusting the projection position of the left eye image or the right eye image. An adjusting means, and an interpupillary distance / diopter operating section that serves both as an interpupillary adjustment operating section for adjusting the interpupillary adjusting section and as a diopter adjusting operating section for operating the diopter adjusting section. It is characterized by the fact that it consists of

[0009]

According to the present invention, when the image displayed on the image display means is projected by the projection optical system for the left eye and the projection optical system for the right eye onto the left and right eyes of the observer for observation, An interpupillary adjustment operation that makes it possible to adjust interpupillary adjustment means for adjusting the interval between the left and right exit pupils by moving each exit pupil formed by the eye projection optical system and the right eye projection optical system in the interpupillary direction. Section, and a diopter adjustment operating unit that enables operation of a diopter adjusting unit that adjusts the projection position of the left-eye image or the right-eye image, since the interpupillary distance / diopter operating unit is configured to be used in common. The operability of the interpupillary adjustment and the diopter adjustment is improved, and the size and weight of the entire apparatus can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1A and 1B are a plan view and a front view, respectively, showing the configuration of the head-mounted image display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is A- of FIG. 1A. FIG. First, the schematic configuration of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3A, a backlight 31, an image display element (LCD) 32, a half mirror 33 as a projection optical system, and a concave mirror 34 are housed in the optical system frame 4, and in the case of a see-through type, A shutter 35 is provided on the front window of the optical system frame 4, and the outside of the shutter 35 is covered by the main body frame 1. It should be noted that, as shown in FIG. 3B, the shape of the main body frame 1 is changed to the goggle type as shown in the drawing, and the headband 36 serving as a supporting means is attached to the head. The sound from the image display device body may be guided to the observer's ear by the earphone 37.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the left and right adjustment knobs 2 are rotatably supported on the upper surface of the main body frame 1 in the direction of arrow Q, and the adjustment knob 2 will be described later. Further, it is supported so as to be movable in the eye width direction (arrow P direction) along the guide elongated hole 1a. In addition, notches 1b corresponding to the left and right eyeballs are formed on the front surface of the main body frame 1 to form a see-through type. If the see-through function is unnecessary, the cutout 1b and the shutter 35 can be omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the adjusting knob 2 has a convex portion 2a formed at the center of the surface thereof and a large number of small protrusions (textures) 2b formed at the peripheral portion of the surface. A shaft 2c integrally formed on the back surface, a groove 2d for inserting a retaining ring formed around the middle portion of the shaft 2c, and a notch 2e for guide fitting formed at the lower end of the shaft 2c are provided. Become. Although the adjusting knob 2 is used in this embodiment,
As shown in (a) and (b), the adjustment knob 2 has a concave portion 2f formed in the center of the surface instead of the convex portion 2a, and a plurality of small protrusions (textures) 2b in the peripheral portion of the surface. It may be configured by providing a small protrusion (rib) 2g. Further, instead of each of the small protrusions (textures, ribs), it is possible to form an irregular shape having an appropriate shape so that the adjustment knob can be easily rotated with a fingertip.

As shown in FIG. 2 which is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1, the shaft 2c of the adjusting knob 2 has a guide elongated hole 1a in the body frame 1.
Immediately after it penetrates through, it is fixed to the main body frame 1 by a retaining ring 3. Notch 2e at the lower end of the adjustment knob 2
Fits and holds the oval-shaped head 5a of the guide 5.
As shown in FIG. 6 which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 2, the guide 5 is fitted in a guide elongated hole 6a provided in the support member 6 so as to be movable in the eye width direction (arrow P direction). The lower end of the guide 5 penetrates a hole (not shown) of the lens lid 7 that abuts the lower surface of the support member 6 and is then coupled to the upper portion of the diopter adjusting screw 8. The screw portion (not shown) of the diopter adjusting screw 8 is an LCD frame. 9
It engages with a screw part (not shown) provided on the.

On the inner peripheral portion of the lens lid 7, an LCD frame 9 for holding a backlight 31 and an LCD 32,
The optical system frame 4 is housed. The optical system frame 4 is fixed to the lens lid 7, but the LCD frame 9 is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction of FIG.
At this time, a guide shaft 10 for suppressing rotational shake penetrates the LCD frame 9 so as to maintain a parallel relationship with the diopter adjustment screw 8, and the guide elongated hole 6a of the support member 6 and the lens lid 7 are provided on the upper surface of the guide shaft 10. Since the lower end of the guide 11 penetrating a hole (not shown) is coupled, when the adjustment knob 2 is rotated to rotate the diopter adjusting screw 8, the LCD frame 9 is guided by the guide shaft 10 to move up or down. Since the relative distance of the LCD frame 9 to the optical system changes, the diopter can be adjusted.

Next, the eye width adjustment and the diopter adjustment when observing an image using the head-mounted image display device of the first embodiment will be described in detail. The observer first mounts the head-mounted image display device of this embodiment on the head (or face), and externally displays the image on the backlight 31 in the optical system frame 4.
It is guided to the LCD 32 which is illuminated with a half mirror 33 and a concave mirror 34 as a projection optical system and projected on the eyeball.
Next, the left and right adjustment knobs 2 are respectively moved with the fingertips in the interpupillary (P) direction to perform interpupillary adjustment, and when the interpupillary distance suitable for the observer is reached, the fingers are released, and the positioning is fixed in that state. To be done.
After the completion of this interpupillary adjustment, the left and right adjustment knobs 2 are respectively rotated with the fingertips in the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction (Q direction). By this rotation operation, the LCD frame 9 holding the backlight 31 and the LCD 32 is guided by the guide shaft 10 to ascend or descend, and the relative distance to the optical system is changed. Therefore, when the relative distance suitable for the observer is reached. , If you release your finger in that state, it will be fixed in that state.

In the above adjusting operation, it is necessary to configure each adjusting mechanism so that it can be moved and positioned and fixed in the P direction, and can be rotated and locked in the Q direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, although not shown, the lower surface of the adjustment knob 2 and the upper surface of the main body frame 1 are provided with claws and grooves that engage with each other, and the adjustment knob 2 is moved to the upper surface of the main body frame 1 during the adjustment operation in the P direction. On the other hand, the engagement between the two is released by floating at a minute interval, and after the adjustment is completed, the adjustment knob 2 is pushed down and brought into contact with the upper surface of the main body frame 1, and the claw and groove are engaged to maintain the positioning fixed state. I am trying to do it.

By the way, in the above-mentioned pupil distance adjustment and diopter adjustment, since unevenness is formed on the surface of the diopter adjustment knob 2 for facilitating the rotation operation of the adjustment knob as shown in FIGS. In a head-mounted image display device that requires an operation while searching for the adjustment operation member after wearing, the operability of the adjustment operation is significantly improved. Further, in the above configuration, the number of parts is significantly reduced (almost half), so that cost reduction, size reduction, and weight reduction are realized, and at the same time, operability and assemblability are improved. It also simplifies the design.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and it goes without saying that various modifications and changes can be made. For example, the configuration using the adjustment knob 2 and the like in the above-described embodiment employs a mechanical configuration in which the pupil distance adjustment and the diopter adjustment are performed by manually moving and rotating the adjustment knob 2, but instead, Adjustment knob 2 using a motor, etc.
The movement and rotation of may be electrically controlled.

In the above embodiment, the interpupillary distance adjusting mechanism and the diopter adjusting mechanism are installed at the same location and the operating section is made common, but the objects to be installed are not limited to these and they are not limited to these. Any two or three or more of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms including the angle (Draft) adjusting mechanism and the convergence angle adjusting mechanism may be combined and installed at the same location to share the operation unit.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the image displayed on the image display means is projected by the projection optical system for the left eye and the projection optical system for the right eye to the left and right eyeballs of the observer for observation. When performing, the interpupillary adjustment means that adjusts the interval between the left and right exit pupils by moving each exit pupil formed by the left-eye projection optical system and the right-eye projection optical system in the interpupillary direction The interpupillary distance / diopter operation unit also serves as an interpupillary adjustment operation unit that enables the diopter adjustment operation unit that enables operation of the diopter adjustment unit that adjusts the projection position of the left-eye image or the right-eye image. With this configuration, the operability of the interpupillary distance adjustment and the diopter adjustment is improved, and the overall size of the apparatus can be reduced, the weight can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B are a plan view and a front view, respectively, showing the configuration of a head-mounted image display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a schematic configuration of the head-mounted image display device according to the first embodiment.

4A and 4B are detailed views illustrating the configuration of the adjusting knob of the first embodiment.

5A and 5B are detailed views illustrating another configuration of the adjustment knob of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a conventional technique.

8A and 8B are diagrams for explaining a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Body Frame 1a Guide Slot 2 Adjust Knob 2a Convex 2b Small Protrusion 2c Shaft 2e Notch 2f Recess 2g Small Protrusion (Rib) 4 Optical System Frame 5 Guide 5a Head 6 Supporting Member 6a Guide Slot 7 Lens Lid 8 Diopter adjustment screw 9 LCD frame 10 Guide shaft 11 Guide 31 Backlight 32 LCD 33 Half mirror 34 Concave mirror

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A video display unit for displaying a video image, a left-eye projection optical system for projecting the video image displayed on the video display unit into a left eyeball of an observer as a left-eye image, and the video display unit. A projection optical system for the right eye that projects the displayed image into the right eyeball of the observer as a right-eye image, and an exit pupil formed by the projection optical system for the left eye and the projection optical system for the right eye. Eye width adjusting means for adjusting the distance between the left and right exit pupils by moving in the width direction, diopter adjusting means for adjusting the projection position of the left eye image or right eye image, and the eye width adjusting means can be adjusted. A head-mounted image, characterized by comprising an interpupillary distance / diopter operation unit that doubles as an interpupillary adjustment operation unit and a diopter adjustment operation unit that enables operation of the diopter adjustment means. Display device.